Sincerely,

Ms. Young

4 ways to read with your child:

1. Choral Read- You read at the same time.

2. Echo Read- You read a sentence, your child echos the sentence. 

3. Seesaw Read- Take turns reading each page!

4. Be the teacher- Pretend your child is the teacher. Call them, “Mr. or Miss.” Pretend you are the student! 

Please model the following:

1. Read with expression! Act out feelings and movement! 

2. Model making a mistake, then reread to fix your mistake.

3. Stop and think about the problem and solution in the story.

4. In a nonfiction book- stop to think about a new fact!

Tic-Tac-Toe Boards will always be due on the Friday of that same week. Grown-ups must initial or sign off on each of the boxes that your student completes. This is an optional homework opportunity to promote social skills and independence at home.

Have fun! Ms. Young

Have a great weekend!

Georgia Young

Reminders:

• Please remember to fill out the information for the Class Contact List (remember, it is optional!). We will be emailing the completed list on Friday, September 20th for you all to have when organizing playdates and events. 

• Sign-Ups are open to be a guest reader/presenter in our classrooms this year! Please check the posts below for the link.

• Classlink sign-in information and Quickcards are being sent home with all students today.

Reading

This week, students practiced choosing "just right" books to fill their book baggies by using multiple strategies, such as the 5-finger rule and listening for fluency and understanding. We also reviewed the qualities of good reading by creating a classroom chart. Finally, your third graders listened to read-alouds that promote growth mindset ("The Magical Yet" and "Beautiful Oops"). We will refer to these throughout the year.

Writing

This week in writing, students worked hard on brainstorming, writing, and illustrating their hopes and dreams for third grade. They are now displayed outside our classroom and will remain up in our room for the remainder of the year to reflect on! Students also worked on beginning their first page of their Writer's Notebook: their "heart map". They will refer to this throughout the year for writing ideas.

• School is closed on Thursday, October 3rd. 

• Today, 9/20, is the last day to fill out the Class Contact List form. Sra. Spallone and I will be sending this list out to both homerooms next week.

• Please encourage nightly reading at home for at least 20 minutes. The reading logs sent home and posted here are a resource for you to use at home (I will not collect them).

• Great work on the weekly Tic-Tac-Toe boards! As a friendly reminder, all boards must be initialed by a parent or guardian. Moving forward, I will not accept boards turned in without initials or after the Friday deadline. 

Reading- Students created individual reading goals for themselves this school year! You can ask your student what goal they are working towards and how they plan to get there. In addition, we practiced what effective reading partnerships look and sound like. Next week will begin our Mystery Unit!

Writing- Students generated lots of new ideas for their small moment, or personal narrative, stories. They learned that thinking of an important person in their lives can be a starting point for a brainstorm. Then, they practiced choosing an idea and beginning their first independent writes in their writer’s notebooks.

Have a fantastic first weekend of fall, 3rd grade DLI families!

With kindness,

Georgia Young

Math At Home

Unit 1 - Addition & Subtraction Patterns

1. Community Building & Addition Facts to Twenty

2. Subtraction Facts to Twenty

3. Double-Digit Addition

4. Story Problems & Strategies

• School is closed on Thursday, October 3rd.

• The Class Contact List/Directory has been emailed to all families.

Tic-Tac-Toe Homework Boards are due next Friday, 10/4. Completed boxes must be signed off on by a guardian to receive credit.

Reading- This week our classes began our Mystery Genre Unit! Readers of mysteries need to identify what the mystery is and who is/are the crime solver(s). As our class has begun reading our first mystery novel, “The Absent Author,” we have been paying close attention to clues within the text which may help solve the book’s mystery. Students also learned new genre-specific vocabulary with a hands-on matching game. Ask your child to share what a “red herring” or “accomplice” is 😉

Writing- Students are continuing to write drafts of their small moment/personal narrative stories in their writers’ notebooks. They began personal “word walls” which they will keep in their writing folders throughout the year. Students learned that they can refer to this tool, along with their narrative rubric/checklist, to set and achieve their writing goals! We are working on building greater independence and ownership of work during the writing process.

Sra. Spallone and I wish your families a safe and restful weekend!

Ms. Young

Monday 10/7: "Being a Friend is No Sweat" - wear your favorite sweatshirt or sweatpants
Wednesday 10/9: "Color our World with Kindness to Others "- wear bright colors 
Friday 10/11: "Get in the Spirit of Spreading Kindness" - Wear Dutch Neck Spiritwear or school colors

• October Conferences will be held October 15-18th as well as October 21st just for 3rd Grade DLI. October 15-18th will be early dismissal days for students. Dismissal will begin at 1:00pm. Lunch will not be served in the cafeteria on these days so students will need to pack a “snunch,” a larger snack/smaller lunch to eat in the classroom during snack time. More information on signing up for conferences on Genesis will be sent to you soon via a Dutch Neck School email.

• Week of Respect Spirit Days begin this upcoming Monday!

  • Monday 10/7: "Being a Friend is No Sweat" - wear your favorite sweatshirt or sweatpants.

  • Wednesday 10/9: "Color our World with Kindness to Others "- wear bright colors.

  • Friday 10/11: "Get in the Spirit of Spreading Kindness" - Wear Dutch Neck Spiritwear or school colors.

• We are still accepting Dexter Patrol Applications! Nov. 1st will be the first day of Dexter Patrol, so please get these applications in as soon as possible. Email amanda.lee@wwprsd.org for more information/questions.

Reading- This week, our Principals Mrs. Lockett and Mrs. Bruce shared the book, “The Day You Begin” by Jacqueline Woodson with our classes! They encouraged us to connect with others not only based on our similarities but also through our differences. Additionally, we read through Chapter 6 in our mystery novel, “The Absent Author.” Students are continuing to collect clues and make predictions as we read through this mystery!

Writing- This week, students continued to practice using their storytelling voice in their personal narratives by utilizing sensory details: what they see, hear, feel, taste, and/or smell during that small moment. We practiced rehearsing our stories with writing partners. Students learned that this is an important stage in the idea generation and draft writing process.

“On behalf of Princeton Center for Complex Materials Education Outreach, I am pleased to share the upcoming Bilingual Event, Dia de la Ciencia. Come explore materials science with Princeton University scientists and engineers on Saturday, November 2nd 2024 at the Princeton Public library!

Please see the flyer and website https://pccm.princeton.edu/education/Dia_Ciencia for details.

We are also in need of additional Spanish-speaking volunteers for this event.  

Contact Sonia Natalias natalias@princeton.edu directly if you are interested!“

• Tomorrow, Friday 10/11, is "Get in the Spirit of Spreading Kindness" Day - Wear Dutch Neck Spiritwear or school colors

• October Conferences will be held October 15-18 as well as October 21st for 3rd DLI. Thank you for signing up on Genesis promptly and for your patience with the technical difficulties! October 15-18 will be early dismissal days for students. Dismissal will begin at 1:00pm. Lunch will not be served in the cafeteria on these days so students will need to pack a “snunch,” a larger snack/smaller lunch to eat in the classroom during snack time. 

• Fall/Halloween Celebrations- The 3rd grade parade will be at 10:25 AM on Thursday, Oct. 31st. Both Ms. Young's and Sra. Spallone's class parties will take place 10:30 (or end of parade)-11:30AM. We will need 2 parent volunteers per homeroom as well as donations for our craft, snack, and decor. **Please keep an eye out for a post and/or email with more information!

• Per school policy, if you choose not to have your child participate in the parade and/or class party, a handwritten note or email should be given to your child’s homeroom teacher by Friday, October 25th. An alternative activity will be provided for those children who are not participating in the Halloween celebration.

• Oct. 21st-25th: Fall Book Fair. More information to follow.

• Thursday, Oct. 24th: Dinner with the Principals @ 5PM (orange flyer sent home last week)
  

Reading- This week, our classes finished reading our first shared mystery novel- The Absent Author! Students began reading their own assigned mystery novels, now applying the strategies they’ve learned about reading mysteries. This week’s focus was on collaborating with a co-detective (partner) to share clues found in the text and other suspicious findings as they read. Please note- Students are assigned chapters that need to be completed daily. If they do not finish reading these chapters during the time provided in class, they are expected to bring their book home to finish them during their nightly reading time. Thank you for your support in keeping your student on-track!

Writing and Phonics- Students’ personal narratives are making their way through the writing process! Now, students are focusing their time on revising and editing to move their pieces towards publishing. You can ask your student to share what they know about using a “storytelling” voice as a writer. You can also encourage your child to jot down new words they hear and see outside of school. Consider creating a “Word Collector” list that can hang up on your fridge at home. We are integrating this phonics strategy into our writing by looking at beautifully detailed mentor texts such as “Come On, Rain!” by Karen Hesse and “Fireflies!” by Julie Brinckloe.

11/6, 11/20, 12/4, 12/18

Sra. Spallone's homeroom:

10/30, 11/13, 11/27, 12/11

It has been lovely meeting with so many of you already for our fall conferences! We appreciate your time to partner with us as we set goals for the remainder of the trimester and school year! We look forward to meeting with the rest of you over the next 3 afternoons. 😊

• Tomorrow is the last half day for conferences! Please remember to send your child in with a larger snack/"snunch". The cafeteria is NOT open.

• Monday, 10/21, Sra. Spallone and I will continue with conferences. However, Monday is a FULL DAY for students. The cafeteria will be open and buses will resume normal schedule 😉

• Dinner with the Principals - Thurs. Oct. 24th from 5-6 p.m. Tickets can be purchased here. 

• Fall Book Fair is this coming week of Oct. 21-25th. Our classes will shop on Wednesday, 10/23. Flyers were sent home on Friday 10/11. Please send any money in an envelope or baggie labeled with your child's name and the total amount enclosed. Please also note if you have instructions on what your child can buy (ex: books only, no school supplies, toys, etc.) This helps in the shopping process.

• Halloween Parades/Fall Parties - Thurs. 10/31. Please see information shared in previous posts and emails from your child's homeroom teacher. Thank you already for signing up and bringing in donations!

Warmly,

Georgia Young

1. Helping at home: Asking Questions

2. Helping at home: Learning From Mistakes       

Math At Home

Unit 2 - Introduction to Multiplication

1. Multiplication in Context

2. Multiplying with Arrays & Number Lines

3. Ratio Tables & the Multiplication Table

4. Story Problems with Graphs & Multiple Operations

• All parents are welcome to watch the 3rd grade Halloween Parade on October 31 at 10:25 AM. It is weather permitting. If it rains, there will be no Halloween Parade. 

• Our Fall Party will be immediately following the parade from 10:30-11:30! Parent volunteer slots have all been filled now- yay! The Sign-Up Genius forms are now closed. Thank you for all of your generous contributions to our parties.

• Food Permission Slips for Ms. Young’s Class are due Wednesday, 10/30!

• Please remember to read the Halloween Parent Letter sent to you via email and also shared in a previous Padlet post. Here are some highlights:

  • Students should bring their costumes to school in a bag with their name on it. They should be able to slip their costume on over their clothes. We will not have time to send all students to the bathrooms to change prior to our parade and party.

  • No weapons, toy guns, swords, etc. will be permitted

• Dexter Patrol applications are due ASAP. Per Mrs. Lee, Patrol will be beginning at the start of November.

• WW-P Schools Closed Friday, Nov. 1, 2024

• WW-P Schools Closed Thursday, Nov. 7, and Friday, Nov. 8, 2024

• Wednesday, Nov. 20: Picture Day. Both classes will be taking individual and group photos at 11:00 AM on this day.
  

Reading- As we progress through our final shared mystery novel, “The Whodunit Detective Agency: The Diamond Mystery,” students have been on the lookout for red herring clues (aka false clues) that expert mystery writers may use to steer readers in the wrong direction. Students have also been independently exploring a wider range of mystery novels using Epic!, our digital library resource.

Writing and Phonics- As students continue to publish their first (and second!) final copies of their small moments stories, this week we had a focus on making intentional and accurate edits using an acronym known as “C.U.P.S.” Students practiced editing multiple types of writing for Capitalization, Understanding (does it make sense?), Punctuation, and Spelling. Students focused on proper usage of quotation marks and commas in dialogue. Finally, your third grader learned that there is a wide range of verbs that can be used in dialogue tags (subject + verb) that precede or follow dialogue!

Reminders: 

• Today: The 3rd grade costume parade begins at 10:25 AM. Parents will be able to watch the parade by standing along the walking track or on the outside perimeter of the cones which will be set up on the blacktop and towards the track.

  • We have been instructed to keep our class moving through the parade route so we cannot stop for pictures. We will, however, take a group photo during the day to share with you!

  • Our class will walk on the walking track beginning at the blacktop and ending in the gym. Visitors of the parade must remain outside of the building. Only our 2 parent volunteers per homeroom will be allowed back in the building via the front office following the parade.

  • Parking will be available both on the street and across the street at Windsor Chapel.

• Tomorrow, Friday Nov. 1: WW-P schools closed

• Thursday, Nov. 7, and Friday, Nov. 8: All WW-P schools will be closed

• Friday, Nov. 15: Crazy Hair/Sock Day

• Wednesday, Nov. 20: Picture Day (forms sent home with children today, 10/30).

• Friday, Nov. 22: Dutch Neck Spirit Wear Day
  

Reading- Students learned that one of the most powerful ways to improve as a reader is to have a growth mindset. Students thought about how they can get stronger as readers and set specific goals, then they worked on achieving those goals. We updated our hallway bulletin display with some of our reading goals, too! 

Writing- We wrapped up our first writing unit, Small Moments/Personal Narratives, this week! Students worked hard on finalizing their published pieces. Next week students will begin exploring informational (non-fiction) writing!

Phonics- This week students did hands-on activities to practice reading and writing compound and multisyllabic words. Students on the Red Team began looking at “closed syllables” in words. A closed syllable has a single vowel followed by a consonant, also known as a CVC pattern. Both classes will continue this work in the upcoming week.

• School closed tomorrow, Thursday 11/7, & Friday 11/8

• Friday 11/15 - Crazy Hair/Sock Day

• Next Week 11/11-11/15 - Kids Helping Kids Food Drive

  • Please check your child’s Take-Home Folder for the flier with more information. 3rd grade is being asked to bring in canned fruits and/or vegetables if you choose to participate. Thank you!

• Monday 11/18 - American Education Week Parent Visit

  • Please see flier sent home in your student's Take-Home Folder this week. Return the RSVP no later than Friday 11/15 so we can plan accordingly. Thank you!

• Wednesday 11/20 - Picture Day

• Friday 11/22 - DN Spirit Wear Day

Homework: As a reminder, Ms. Young is sending home any unfinished work with students to complete at home and return the following school day on an as-needed basis. This could include select pages in students' cursive handwriting packets and math practice problems (assigned for Red Team's morning work). Please continue to check and have your student pack their Take-Home Folder on a nightly basis and discuss the importance of using work time wisely in class.

This week in Ms. Young's class we finished up our Mystery reading unit and began diving into informational writing! You can ask your student what nonfiction topics they think they are a mini "expert" on and could teach someone about in an informational book (aka "All About" book). Next week students will choose a topic and begin to write!

Students also were highly engaged in read-alouds, discussions, and activities for Election Day and Veterans Day that we integrated into this shortened week.

Enjoy the long weekend!

Warmly,

Ms. Young and Sra. Spallone

We can't believe we're already knee-deep in the busy month of November! We appreciate your support and communication with us. Have a restful and fun weekend.

With thanks,

Ms. Young and Sra. Spallone

• DLI T-Shirts - On behalf of the WW-P DLI Program, the Village PTA is making DLI T-shirts available to students and families at Wicoff, Dutch Neck, Maurice Hawk, Village, and Community. If you would like to buy a DLI t-shirt, please visit the online store and purchase your shirt directly from the site. All payments will be collected online and all shirts will be distributed to classrooms in January. The online store closes on December 6th, so place your orders today!

• Monday 11/18 - American Education Week Parent Visit

  • Thank you for your RSVPs! We look forward to seeing you from 11:30-12:10 and/or 12:14-12:45 on Monday. After you sign in through the front office, you will report to your student’s homeroom classroom FIRST. As a reminder, this is a parent/guardian event only. No siblings, please.

• Wednesday 11/20 - Picture Day

• Friday 11/22 - DN Spirit Wear Day

• Wednesday 11/27 - Early Dismissal (Dismissal begins at 1PM. No lunch will be served. Please pack a larger “snunch” that your student can eat during snack time!)

• 11/28 and 11/29 - No School - Fall Break

Reading- Students have been exploring text features of expository nonfiction texts. They learned that it is important to gather key details and facts as they read and to use these facts to find the main idea. Students also practiced teaching their reading partner what they read about. Ask your student at home what new information they’ve learned from nonfiction books this week! 😉 Both teams also began a new realistic fiction read aloud, “A Boy Called BAT” by Elana K. Arnold, as part of our district’s inclusive texts curriculum. 

Writing- Our informational writing unit is in full swing! All students have now generated and verbally rehearsed their topics for these books. They have been researching this topic during both reading and writing classes using digital and print resources. Finally, students have created 

Phonics- This week both teams focused-in on nouns- a person, place, thing, or idea. Students did a word sort activity. On the Red Team, we began identifying proper vs. common nouns and how that affects punctuation. Blue Team will practice this next week! 

If you haven't already seen it, please find the Fall 2024 edition of the WW-P Dual Language Immersion Family Newsletter linked here. In the newsletter you will find program updates, an opportunity to provide a DLI Testimonial, and link to purchase our new DLI Shirts.

Your partners in education,

The DLI Team

On behalf of Sra. Spallone, myself, and all of our third graders, THANK YOU for your attendance in American Education Week on Monday. We appreciate the time you sacrificed out of your day to participate in our classrooms. The students were so excited! Our hallways are now proudly displaying the turkey math projects from Sra. Spallone’s lesson and the balloon designs from my lesson, based on the book “Balloons Over Broadway” by Melissa Sweet. For those of you who could not make it, we also appreciate you and will share photos of the projects under the “Photos” section on Padlet!

Have a fantastic weekend,

Ms. Young

Reminders:

• DLI T-Shirts on sale now until Dec. 6th! Please visit the online store and purchase your shirt directly from the site. All payments will be collected online and all shirts will be distributed to classrooms in January.

• Wednesday 11/27 - Early Dismissal (Dismissal begins at 1PM. No lunch will be served. Please pack a larger “snunch” that your student can eat during snack time!)

• 11/28 and 11/29 - No School - Fall Break
  

Reading- This week, students on both teams practiced strategies for being effective reading partners. Students set updated goals for themselves while reading nonfiction and learned how to decide on personal “tasks” that will hold them accountable for achieving these goals as they read independently. For example, if your goal is to get better at teaching others what you learned, you can task yourself with placing sticky notes on important parts of the text to point out to your reading partner as you share.

Writing- Students are in the drafting and revision stages of their informational writing pieces! We took a closer look at how to make introductions more exciting and effective. You can introduce a topic with a question, fact, or description.

Phonics- Both teams focused on the CVCe spelling pattern this week, looking at how this pattern affects multisyllabic words (ex: hopeful). When a vowel is followed by one consonant and the letter e, the first vowel is long (“says its name”). 

Math At Home

Unit 3 - Multi-Digit Addition & Subtraction

1. Rounding & Multi-Digit Addition

2. Multi-Digit Subtraction

3. Estimating to Add & Subtract

4. Exploring the Algorithms for Addition & Subtraction

• Disney Spirit Day is tomorrow, Friday 12/6! Wear your most magical Disney-themed outfit.

• Tic-Tac-Toe HW Boards due tomorrow, Friday 12/6!

• DLI T-Shirts on sale now until tomorrow, 12/6! Please visit the online store and purchase your shirt directly from the site. All payments will be collected online and all shirts will be distributed to classrooms in January.

• Saturday, Dec. 7: Dexter’s Emporium from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. at Dutch Neck Gymnasium

• Winter Chorus Concert - Tuesday December 10th @ 7:00p.m AND in-school concert

  • Please refer to flier sent home/previous post

• Yearbook Cover Design Contest - Due Friday, Jan. 10th (orange flier sent home)

Reading- This week, students learned about the narrative nonfiction genre. We shared in the read aloud “A Computer Called Katherine” to study the structure of a biography. 

Writing- Students are moving towards publishing their works of informational writing!

Phonics- Students practiced reading and writing multi-syllable words with the r-controlled vowel pattern (ex: -or, -er, -ar) and searching for the consonant -le spelling pattern by looking in the final syllable of words.

parents report to the auditorium (gym) to find seats. At 7:00p.m, students will begin walking onto the stage. Note: Doors will be locked prior to 6:30p.m."

• Both homerooms will be having a PJ and Popcorn Party on Thursday, 12/19 to celebrate the winter holiday season! (There is no Sign-Up Genius for this celebration). 

  • Please sign and return the Food Permission Slip by Tuesday 12/17

  • Students may wear their PJs/comfiest clothes to school! Ms. Young’s homeroom: just make sure to wear or pack sneakers for gym class.

• If your student will be absent any day next week, please mark this absence in Genesis and send us an email ASAP. This will help us plan accordingly for our activities next week :)

• There are no homework boards due. We will resume HW in January after winter break!

  • Those students who turned in 9 or more boards this trimester have the opportunity to eat their lunch in my classroom on Wed. 12/18! Invites were sent home with these students. Thank you for supporting your student’s independence and responsibility this trimester! 

• Yearbook Cover Design Contest - Due Friday, Jan.10th (orange flier sent home)

• Friday 12/20 - Early dismissal - No lunch service will be provided this day so please send your child to school with a “snunch”. Dismissal begins at 1:00.

• 12/23- 1/3 - All WW-P schools are closed. School reopens Monday, Jan. 6, 2025.
  

Reading- This week, students learned that the main idea in a narrative nonfiction text such as a biography is not always obvious. Readers have to put on a different “lens” and look deeper at the whole text to figure out what they can learn from the information. 

Writing- Students are just about ready to publish their writing! They practiced making About the Author and Glossary pages this week. These finished pieces will be sent home after winter break. 

Phonics- This week, students participated in hands-on centers to practice identifying abstract and concrete nouns. An abstract noun is a non-physical noun that cannot be perceived with your senses. For example, “loyalty” or “freedom”. A concrete noun can be perceived with your senses (ex: “carpet” or “lunchbox”).

Keep warm and have fun this weekend!
Ms. Young

Reminders:

• Early Dismissal Days on Thursday 1/16 and Friday 1/17 - Please remember to send your student in with a “snunch” to eat on these days as the cafeteria will be closed. Dismissal begins at 1:00 PM.

  • The conferences on these days are by teacher request. We have sent emails to those we are requesting conferences with. Thank you.

• Orange PTA newsletter flyers were sent home in students’ Take Home Folders on Wednesday, 1/8.

• Monday, Jan. 20, 2025: All WW-P schools and offices are closed.

• Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025: All WW-P schools are closed.

• Please continue updating Genesis and/or notifying ourselves and the front office with anticipated absences and dismissal changes. We really appreciate your thorough communication for smooth dismissals.

Reading- This week we began our next reading unit, “Character Studies.” In the upcoming lessons, students will dig deeper into understanding characters by exploring their traits, motivations, challenges, and the lessons they learn. This study of characters helps readers grasp the text better and think more critically about what was read.

Writing- We launched our latest writing unit, Opinion Writing: Changing the World! To begin, students worked together as a class to plan a persuasive speech which contains a claim, three reasons, and supporting examples or evidence for each reason. They are now beginning their idea generation process.

Phonics- Students practiced identifying and writing subject (noun) and predicate (contains the verb) within sentences, making sure to always remember uppercase letters at the beginning of sentences and ending punctuation. We will continue to build upon this foundation as we create more detailed and complex sentences in phonics and writing classes. 

• Third Grade T-Shirt Orders - Please input your child’s size and send in $10 cash in a labeled envelope/baggie no later than Friday, 1/24.

  • Red Team (Ms. Young)

  • Blue Team (Sra. Spallone)

• DLI T-Shirts have not yet been delivered to us.

• Tic-Tac-Toe HW- due Friday 1/24. Sent home today 1/17 for you to get a head start! These are a great opportunity for your student to grow their social-emotional skills, build content area transfer between languages, and develop responsible habits.

• Upcoming MAP testing days:

  • Red Team: Math on Tuesday 1/21 and Reading on Thursday 1/23

  • Blue Team: Reading on Thursday 1/23

  • Students who are absent will make up these tests in class upon their return.

• Global Play Day on 2/5. More info from Dutch Neck to follow.

• Author Book Order Forms due 2/7.

• Monday, Jan. 20, 2025: All WW-P schools and offices are closed.

• Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025: All WW-P schools are closed.

• Please continue updating Genesis and/or notifying ourselves and the front office with anticipated absences and dismissal changes. We really appreciate your thorough communication for smooth dismissals.

• Students now have 24/7 access to MyON, a reading platform similar to Epic! This is accessed through the “Renaissance” app on Classlink. All students practiced signing into this new app today.
  

Reading- This week, students learned the parts that make up a story mountain, including the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. We are continuing our class read aloud of Planet Omar: Accidental Trouble Magnet and studying the more complex layers of the characters. Students are reading in their own just-right novel of choice to apply this character work.

Writing- Students are making excellent progress on their opinion/persuasive writing pieces! At this point, students have generated an opinion (claim) and planned their writing using a graphic organizer. They learned to use the acronym “O.R.E.O.” to organize their writing: Opinion (claim/introduction), Reason and Example (in each of their 3 body paragraphs), and Opinion (re-stated in the conclusion). Using this formula, students set themselves up for a focused and successful opinion piece!

• Third Grade T-Shirt Orders EXTENDED! Due Monday, 1/27: Please input your child’s size and send in $10 cash in a labeled envelope/baggie. These are the shirts that students wear for the upcoming Chorus Festival and Field Trip (more info coming soon!):

  • Red Team (Ms. Young)

  • Blue Team (Sra. Spallone)

• DLI T-Shirts have not been delivered to us yet.

• Tic-Tac-Toe HW 2.3- Sent home today and due Friday, 1/31!

• Both classes have completed math and reading MAP tests this week!

  • Students who were absent or did not finish will make up these tests in class over the next few days.

• Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025: All WW-P schools are closed.

• Please continue updating Genesis and/or notifying ourselves and the front office with anticipated absences and dismissal changes. We really appreciate your thorough communication for smooth dismissals.

• Students now have 24/7 access to MyON, a reading platform similar to Epic! This is accessed through the “Renaissance” app on Classlink. All students practiced signing into this new app today.

Reading- We are continuing to follow and study our characters in our class read aloud, Planet Omar! We have finally reached the climax, or most intense “tipping point,” on the story mountain, which was marked by a change in the characters’ behavior and attitudes. We also discussed the different roles that secondary characters play in a story.

Writing- Now that all students are through the planning phase, they are crafting strong paragraphs for their opinion speeches. They are using a checklist to self-identify goals for themselves at the beginning of each writing period and hold themselves accountable for third grade-level opinion writing. Lastly, students put their editing skills to the test to edit Ms. Young’s writing! Students should edit as they write rather than at the very end of the writing process.

Phonics- Students practiced expanding their predicates (verbs) by writing with prepositions (on, behind, next to, around) which adds more detail to their sentences.

Thank you and have a wonderful weekend!

Ms. Young

Reminders: 

• Global Play Day Information and Permission Slips have been sent home. All students at Dutch Neck will participate in this special day. IF your student is bringing in an item from home, please sign and return the permission slip by Monday, 2/3.

• Field Trip Permission Slips have been sent home. Please sign and return with $15 (in a labeled envelope or baggie) to your child's homeroom teacher by Friday, 2/7.

  • Blue Team (Sra. Spallone's Homeroom) will go on Tuesday, 2/25.

  • Red Team (Ms. Young's Homeroom) will go on Tuesday, 3/4.

• Tic-Tac-Toe HW 2.4- Sent home today and due Friday, 2/7!

• Sports Team Spirit Day - Friday 2/7 - Wear a jersey or colors of a favorite sports team!

• PTA Newsletters (orange) sent home today 1/31.

• DLI T-Shirts have not yet been delivered to us.

Reading- Students have begun reading in their book clubs! These assigned “clubs” are groups of 4-6 classmates. Students independently read their copies of the same book then meet with each other to discuss and complete activities which further their understanding of the story and its characters. This week, students worked in their groups to create an appropriately paced 5-day reading plan for their books. As a class, we wrapped up our read aloud “Planet Omar” with a discussion on character change and lessons learned. Finally, students worked in their book clubs to focus on gathering evidence to support character traits for characters in their books. For book clubs to be effective, students need to complete their assigned chapters for their nightly reading if they are absent or unable to complete these during the time given in class. Students must remember to return their book club book back to school the following day so they don’t fall behind their group.

Writing- This week, students continued writing their drafts for their persuasive speeches. They learned that they must select reasons and examples that effectively convince their selected audience when finished.

Phonics- Students practiced writing sentences with a variety of predicate expanders, including prepositions (where?), adverbs (how?), and time (when?) to expand upon their original subject (noun) and predicate (verb).

• Field Trip Permission Slips and $15 (in an envelope or baggie labeled with your student's name) due tomorrow, Friday, 2/7.

• Tic-Tac-Toe HW 2.4- due tomorrow 2/7!

• Tic-Tac-Toe HW 2.5- due next Thursday, 2/13

• In-Class Valentine’s Day Parties - Thursday 2/13

  • Info emailed out by your student's homeroom teacher

• Sports Team Spirit Day - tomorrow, Friday 2/7 - Wear a jersey or colors of a favorite sports team! (As a Philly native, I need to throw in an obligatory "Go Birds!" 😉🦅)

• Friday Feb. 14 - WW-P schools closed for staff professional development.

• DLI and 3rd Grade T-Shirts have not yet been delivered to us.

• Field Trip to Howell Living Farm - Tuesday, 2/25 for Blue Team (Spallone) and Tuesday 3/4 for Red Team (Young)

  • Students with food allergies have been given permission slips. Please sign and return ASAP. 

• Tic-Tac-Toe HW 2.7- due next Friday, 2/28.

• Black History Month Family Celebration Event at HSS - Friday 2/28

• DLI and 3rd Grade T-Shirts have not yet been delivered to us.

• DN Science Fair - Saturday, 3/8 from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. (snow date is Saturday, March 15)

• Spring School Photos - Friday, 3/21. More details and ordering information will be emailed to families closer to the date.

Reading- This week, we focused on comparing characters in stories by looking at character’s traits and responses to conflict. We began a new, short read aloud, Make Way for Dyamonde Daniel by Nikki Grimes. Next week, students will create their very own character projects based on a character they have independently read about in their books.

Writing- Students are publishing their persuasive writing pieces! After planning, drafting, editing, and revising on paper, students have the choice of typing or handwriting their published works. Students are encouraged to continue the writing process independently which means starting a new piece after they’ve published.

Phonics- Students worked very hard on their Black History research projects as we honor Black History Month here at Dutch Neck. All students self-selected a noteworthy African American person to research then gathered key information about them to create their rainbows (pictured above!). Our bulletin board is inspired by the quote by Dr. Maya Angelou, “Be a rainbow in somebody else’s cloud.”

1. Linking Multiplication & Division

2. Multiplication & Division Families

3. Division Practice

4. Introducing Area

Both classes will be celebrating Ms. Young's birthday on Monday, 3/3! Please sign and return the food permission slip, sent home today, by this Friday, 2/28 for your child to partake in the treats. Thank you! 🥳

• Black History Month Family Celebration Event at HSS - TONIGHT! 6-8 PM 2/28

• Monday 3/3 - Ms. Young’s Birthday “Party”! Students will enjoy treats in my class. Thank you for sending in food permission slips.

• Field Trip to Howell Living Farm - Tuesday 3/4 for Red Team (Young)

  • Students must arrive to school promptly, no later than 8:55. We will be boarding the buses at 9:00 AM. Students should wear boots/closed toed-shoes, a heavy coat, gloves, and hat for the trip as we will be outside for the majority of it. Students will not eat their snacks on the trip so they should eat a bigger breakfast before coming to school. We will return to DN by 12:45 for lunch as usual.

• Tic-Tac-Toe HW 2.8- due next Friday, 3/7.

• Third Grade T-Shirts were distributed. DLI T-Shirts have not yet been delivered to us.

• Social Emotional Learning Spirit Day- Friday 3/7. Students should wear their workout gear to school!

• DN Science Fair - Saturday, 3/8 from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. (snow date is Saturday, March 15) I'm so happy to see SO many DLI third graders on the sign-up list! Way to work hard and represent well!

• Spring School Photos - Friday, 3/21. More details and ordering information will be emailed to families closer to the date.
  

Reading- Students wrapped up our Character Studies reading unit by creating posters! Students chose a character from a book they read in their book club or independently this unit to study closely for unique characteristics and traits. After we display these in the hallway, students will bring their projects home. 😄

Writing- Students edited and published their opinion writing pieces by typing or hand-writing. I am extremely proud of the writing that all students produced during this unit. They have grown in their writing stamina, craft, and organization. These will be sent home at the end of the trimester. Students’ work is also visible on Google Classroom if they typed.

Phonics- Students practiced identifying and writing simple, compound, and complex sentences.

As our units come to an end today, students are expected to have at least one opinion writing piece published and their reading character poster finished. Students have had ample class time to work on both of these projects which have been spread over many days/weeks. Most students have completed both tasks. However, those who have not will now need to finish this work at home and bring it back to school no later than Tuesday, March 4th as we are moving along into our next units. Unfinished posters will be sent home in students' take-home folders today.

Thank you for your understanding and support. Please reach out with any questions.

Ms. Young

• Tic-Tac-Toe HW 2.9- due next Friday, 3/14.

• DN Science Fair - TOMORROW, Saturday, 3/8 from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Congratulations to all of our third graders who are participating! We are so proud of your hard work and dedication to your science projects outside of school. Grown-ups- please send us photos of your students from the fair! Sra. Spallone and I would love to see them. 😊

• Spring School Photos - Friday, 3/21, at 11:20AM. Ordering information sent home in take home folders this week!
  

Reading- On Monday we began our Upstander reading unit! This short 3-week unit began with readings and class discussions to understand the importance of being respectful of others’ unique identities by reflecting on our own identities. Students created “identity maps” to show their internal and external traits. We brainstormed using kind words and questions to ask others to get to know more about who they are on the outside.

Writing- We began a mini unit on Poetry this week. Students identified how a writer paints a picture using descriptive, or sensory, words. Students also learned about the structure of a “bio poem” and used their identity maps from reading class to help them create their own bio poems all about themselves.

Phonics- This week, students celebrated SEL (Social-Emotional Learning) Week by playing Kahoot games to test their knowledge of questions in the “cooperation” and “identity” categories.

Reminders: 

• Tic-Tac-Toe HW 2.10- due next Friday, 3/21. This is the last homework of the second trimester!

• Spring School Photos - Friday, 3/21 at 11:20 AM.

• Book Swap - please send in gently used books now until Wednesday 3/19 to donate for the annual Dutch Neck book swap! Each student will be able to select one book when our classes attend the swap (even if they’ve donated multiple). If you have books at home to donate, please feel free to bring them in!

• Reading is a Dream Evening Event - Thursday April 3rd from 6-7PM at Dutch Neck.

  • Flyer sent home with students today!

Reading- This week, our classes shared in read-alouds and discussions centered around the ideas of belonging and representation. We revisited a story from the beginning of the year, Each Kindness, this time reimagining how one of the characters may have been thinking and feeling if the book was written from her POV. Students learned that it is our civic responsibility to treat all others with respect extending beyond those that look, think, and act like us.

Writing- Students added cinquain and haiku poetry structures to their writing tool boxes this week. They challenged their brains by writing haiku poems that connected themes from our Upstander reading unit. Ask your student if they remember the structure of a haiku poem! (Think: syllables)

• Spring Photo Day is tomorrow! All students will have individual photos taken.

• Tic-Tac-Toe Homework 2.10 is due tomorrow. This is the last of the trimester!

  • Lunch bunch invites and permission slips will be sent out soon to students who have handed in at least 9 out of the 10 homework boards!

  • No homework next week.

• Monday, 3/31 through Tuesday, 4/1- All WW-P schools will be closed. Schools will reopen Wednesday, 4/2.

• Thursday 4/3  6-7PM- Reading is a Dream Evening Event at Dutch Neck.

• Tuesday 4/22- In-School practice performance for Spanish Language Day.

• Please mark your calendars for Spanish Language Day!

  • Wednesday, April 23, 2025 at High School South Playhouse.

  • Dress rehearsal: 5:30. Showtime: 6:30-7:30 PM

  • DLI Spanish students and up to 3 guests per family are invited.

  • More information was sent from wwp_schools@wwprsd.org today. Please note that we will not be selling or issuing tickets for this performance. To ensure enough seating, you must RSVP here by April 9, 2025.  

Reading- Through group and independent exploration of multimedia sources, students recognized that freedom and equity for all is still something being fought for today. Students learned that activists can inspire real change to their communities.

Writing- Students worked on their cumulative projects for the Upstander unit. They worked independently or with partners to showcase what they learned about identity, belonging, inclusion, and respect over the past 10 days. Students created posters, skits, or digital slides for their projects!

Phonics- Students practiced identifying sentence structure, including simple, compound, and complex sentences, in a “scoot” activity which got them up and moving around our classroom!

Please check take-home folders. Thanks and have a great weekend!

For the Choral Festival on Wednesday, 4/2, Ms. Palladino has instructed all third graders to wear their white third grade t-shirts with any choice of pants.

For the Spanish Language Day Performance on the evening of Wednesday, 4/23, Sra. Spallone and I have decided on white third grade t-shirts with solid black bottoms. Students should wear sneakers because they are dancing.

For the in-school performance/rehearsal at DN on Tuesday, 4/22, students may wear an outfit of their choice. They must still remember sneakers.

We are very excited about these upcoming opportunities for your third graders!

Thank you for encouraging responsible habits for learning at home!

Ms. Young

• Monday, 3/31 through Tuesday, 4/1- All WW-P schools will be closed. Schools will reopen Wednesday, 4/2. Happy Eid to those who celebrate!🎉

• Wednesday 4/2- Choral Festival at Grover Middle School (during school day)

  • Student Attire: White 3rd grade t-shirt and any bottoms.

  • We'll return to DN before lunchtime.

• Thursday 4/3 6-7PM- Reading is a Dream Evening Event at Dutch Neck.

• Tuesday 4/22- In-school practice performance for Spanish Language Day.

  • Students should wear sneakers and an outfit of their choice for this practice.

• Wednesday, 4/23- Spanish Language Day Evening Performance at High School South Playhouse.

  • Student Attire: White 3rd grade t-shirt, black bottoms, and sneakers.

  • Dress rehearsal: 5:30 PM. Showtime: 6:30-7:30 PM

  • DLI Spanish students and up to 3 guests per family are invited.

  • Please note that we will not be selling or issuing tickets for this performance. To ensure enough seating, you must RSVP here by April 9, 2025.

Happy almost Friday,

Ms. Young

Reminders: 

• Superhero Spirit Day is tomorrow, Friday, 4/4!

  • Dress as your favorite superhero or wear Dutch Neck spirit wear/colors.

• Permission Slip for Zoom Call (sent home 4/3) - Due Tuesday, 4/8.

• HW 3.1 (sent home 4/3) - Due Friday, 4/11.

• Tuesday 4/22- In-school practice performance for Spanish Language Day.

  • Students should wear sneakers and an outfit of their choice for this practice.

• Wednesday, 4/23- Spanish Language Day Evening Performance at High School South Playhouse.

  • Student Attire: White 3rd grade t-shirt, black bottoms, and sneakers.

  • Dress rehearsal: 5:30 PM. Showtime: 6:30-7:30 PM

  • DLI Spanish students and up to 3 guests per family are invited.

  • Please note that we will not be selling or issuing tickets for this performance. To ensure enough seating, you must RSVP here by April 9, 2025.

• Students will be taking the following assessments this month. Sra. Spallone and I are doing practice questions and teaching test-taking strategies to the students during school. Our new technology teacher, Ms. Kim Lowden, will also be teaching strategies to the students. You can support your student by making sure they come to school well rested and have eaten a nutritious breakfast the morning of these assessments .😊 There is no need for additional studying/preparation at home as we are doing this in school:

  • STAMP Spanish Test on Monday, April 7th- This will be completed online with your student’s homeroom teacher. STAMP assesses your student’s current Spanish language proficiency.

  • NJSLA - Monday, April 28th - Friday, May 2nd - Completed online with your student’s homeroom teacher. Assesses reading, writing, and math, all in English.

• All WW-P schools will be closed Monday, April 14, through and including Monday, April 21, 2025 (unused emergency closing day), for Spring Recess. Schools will reopen Tuesday, April 22, 2025.

  • Please click here to view the updated 2024-2025 school year calendar.

• Thursday, April 24, 2025, is National Take Your Child to Work Day- If your child will be attending work with you this day, please enter your child’s absence in Genesis for April 24, 2025, as “Take Your Child to Work Day” (this can be done prior to April 24). In addition, please send me and Sra. Spallone an email informing us. Thank you!

• Write a letter of encouragement to your student for NJSLA Week (April 28-May 2)! A letter explaining this, along with note paper and a blank envelope, were sent home with students on Thursday, April 10th. Please place your letter to your child in the envelope, sealed with your child’s name printed, no later than Tuesday, April 22nd!

• Tuesday, April 22nd, will be our in-school Spanish performances. Students should wear sneakers and any outfit they feel comfortable in!

• Wednesday, April 23rd, is the evening Spanish Language Event at High School South Playhouse from 6:30-7:30! Students should report at 5:15 as our dress rehearsal will begin at 5:30. Student dress code is the white third grade t-shirt, black pants, and sneakers.

This week’s highlights in 3rd Grade DLI:

• Students wrote letters for Mrs. Bruce to celebrate National Assistant Principal Week!

• Blue and Red teams came together to finish learning and rehearsing their Spanish dance performance! I will post this rehearsal video for students to rehearse over break so they do not forget!

• Students met their new technology teacher, Mrs. Lowden, and practiced using the online tools and functions available to them when taking the NJSLA test.

• On Thursday, our students had the wonderful opportunity to Zoom call with middle school students at Timberlane Elementary School. The students at TMS shared about their involvement in the Hallowheels service project this school year. Our students asked questions and learned about the design process for these adaptive costumes for students in wheelchairs. Most importantly, students received a new perspective on how to truly include everyone at school.

• Both teams put their brains to the test this week as they completed practice reading and writing questions for the NJSLA. Students learned and practiced test-taking strategies such as previewing questions, closely reading the first time through, eliminating answer choices, and going back into the passage to prove/confirm their answers.

1.  Investigating Polygons

2. Quadrilaterals

3. Perimeter & Area

4. Shapes & Fractions

We hope you feel as inspired by and proud of your students as we do after their fantástico performance last night!!! It was so great to see so many of your faces there to support our students. We thank you for taking the time out of your evenings to make this show a success for the program.

This folder contains two videos of last night's 3rd grade performance for your viewing. Please do not publicly share or post these videos online, as we do not have media release permission for our whole classes.

Reminders:

• NJSLA Testing begins Monday, April 28th through Friday, May 2nd - These assessments are completed online with your student’s homeroom teacher to assess your student's reading, writing, and math skills (all in English). Monday and Tuesday will be ELA (75 minute sessions), followed by math on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday (60 minute sessions).

  • During testing week: Please make sure your student gets a good night's rest, eats a nutritious and filling breakfast before school, and arrives to school on time. Students have had many days of test prep across both classes, so there is no need for them to study or otherwise prepare for the tests at home. 😉

  • Students may bring in fiction novels from home to read when they are done testing and need to wait. We are providing them classroom library books as well.

• Double-sided white (red team) or salmon (blue team) colored flyer from PTA with information on the following events are being sent home today and tomorrow in students' take home folders:

  • May 5-9: Teacher Appreciation Week

  • Friday, May 9: Spring Book Fair at Barnes & Noble Princeton/Marketfair *Ms. Young will be reading a story from 5:00-5:10 PM!

• Thursday, June 19 at 7:30 p.m.: Trenton Thunder with singing opportunity! Tickets are now on sale here! "To participate in singing on the field, students must purchase a special SINGING student ticket, which includes a tshirt as part of the package (required). Each student must be accompanied by an adult with a non-singing ticket. Before purchasing, please make sure to review the singing ticket details on MemberHub for important information."

We’ve made it to May which feels like the home stretch of the school year. Can you believe it? Sra. Spallone and I are cherishing these last two months as your children's teachers. The end of third grade brings responsibility, excitement, special memories, and bittersweet moments as your students get ready to move on from Dutch Neck. We thank you for your continued support and communication.

Your third graders have worked very hard at NJSLA each day this week. They’ve spent extra time playing outside, being creative, and even learning new skills (crocheting!) to give their eyes and brains a break from their computer screens. Today is the last day of testing (YAY!) and it will be 60 minutes of math. If your student missed any of the testing days, they will make up their test(s) during school before May 30th. 

Have a great ending to your week and enjoy the beautiful weather!
Ms. Young

Reminders: 

• Flyers from PTA with information on the following events were sent home last week in students' take home folders:

  • May 5-9: Teacher Appreciation Week

  • Friday, May 9: Join us for our Spring Book Fair on Friday, May 9, at Barnes & Noble in Market Fair from 4–6 p.m.! Enjoy storytime with Dutch Neck staff, color your own bookmarks, meet Dexter, and don’t miss the chance to purchase a special Dexter-themed treat from Starbucks. Check out the staff storytime schedule here.

  •  *Ms. Young will be reading a story from 5:00-5:10 PM!

• Upcoming field trip to Grounds for Sculpture (Tuesday, June 10, for Blue Team/Spallone OR Wednesday, June 11, for Red Team/Young) - more info will be emailed by your student’s homeroom teacher. Permission slips not yet sent home.

• Spring Chorus Concert - 5/13

  • In-school Concert (not open to parents): Tuesday, May 13th, in the gym at 2:10 PM. Students must wear their black and white concert attire.

  • Evening Spring Chorus Concert: Tuesday, May 13th @ 7:00 PM. Students must wear their black and white concert attire.

• Field Day - Friday, May 30th

• Yearbooks ON SALE NOW! Preorder for $30 by Thursday, May 8 here. Prices go up after May 8. Last day to purchase is Friday, May 23.

• ROSES for the Spring Choral Concert: Purchase individually wrapped, red roses for $3 on May 13 or 14 here. Pick up roses prior to the start of the choral concert. Limited quantities available. All sales are final. 

• Thursday, June 19 at 7:30 p.m.: Trenton Thunder with singing opportunity! Tickets are now on sale here! To participate in singing on the field, students must purchase a special SINGING student ticket, which includes a tshirt as part of the package (required). Each student must be accompanied by an adult with a non-singing ticket. Before purchasing, please make sure to review the singing ticket details on MemberHub for important information.

First, Sra. Spallone, Sra. Sanchez, and I would like to extend our gratitude for the teacher appreciation cards, treats, and love we received from the students this week. We are touched by your generosity and kindness. It is a privilege to be entrusted with the education and care of your children.

What we’re learning…

Reading- We began reading a new book as a class called Ways to Make Sunshine by Renee Watson. Our current “Social Issues” unit is about reading with the purpose of learning life lessons. Students learned that they can preview a book by reading the back blurb. Then, they can predict the challenges and life lessons that the characters might encounter as they continue to read the book.

Writing- Students began planning their “baby literary essays”! They learned that an essay should have an introduction paragraph with a short summary of the story and a claim/thesis, 2 body paragraphs with text evidence and explanation, and a conclusion paragraph.

Phonics- Students practiced the 1-1-1 rule for doubling a consonant before adding a suffix such as -ed, -ing, or -est. If a one-syllable word ends in a single consonant preceded by a single vowel, the final consonant should be doubled before adding a vowel suffix. For example: “run” becomes “running.”

Reminders: 

• Tic-Tac-Toe HW boards are due tomorrow!

• Tomorrow, Friday, May 9: Spring Book Fair at Barnes & Noble in Market Fair from 4–6 p.m.! Enjoy storytime with Dutch Neck staff, color your own bookmarks, meet Dexter, and don’t miss the chance to purchase a special Dexter-themed treat from Starbucks. Check out the staff storytime schedule here.

  •  *Ms. Young will be reading a story from 5:00-5:10 and Sra. Sanchez will be reading from 5:20-5:30!

• Upcoming field trip to Grounds for Sculpture (Tuesday, June 10, for Blue Team/Spallone OR Wednesday, June 11, for Red Team/Young) - more info will be emailed by your student’s homeroom teacher. Permission slips not yet sent home.

• It’s almost Spring Chorus Concert Week! Tuesday, May 13th

  • In-school Concert (not open to parents): Tuesday, May 13th, in the gym at 2:10 PM. Students must wear their black and white concert attire.

  • Evening Spring Chorus Concert: Tuesday, May 13th @ 7:00 PM. Students must wear their black and white concert attire.

• Field Day - Friday, May 30th

• Yearbooks ON SALE NOW! Preorder for $30 by Thursday, May 8 here. Prices go up after May 8. Last day to purchase is Friday, May 23.

• ROSES for the Spring Choral Concert: Purchase individually wrapped, red roses for $3 on May 13 or 14 here. Pick up roses prior to the start of the choral concert. Limited quantities available. All sales are final. 

• Thursday, June 19 at 7:30 p.m.: Trenton Thunder with singing opportunity! Tickets are now on sale here! To participate in singing on the field, students must purchase a special SINGING student ticket, which includes a tshirt as part of the package (required). Each student must be accompanied by an adult with a non-singing ticket. Before purchasing, please make sure to review the singing ticket details on MemberHub for important information.

Unit 7 - Extending Multiplication & Fractions

1. Multiplication Beyond the Basics

2. One- by Two-Digit Multiplication

3. Fractions as Parts of a Whole & Parts of a Set

4. Fractions at Work

Ms. Young

What we’re learning…

Reading- We are continuing our “Social Issues” unit over the next week. This unit is about reading with the purpose of learning life lessons. This week, we talked about the idea of making connections and developing empathy through what we read using the concept of "Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors." In addition, students began their Social Issues Book Clubs! Like in previous units, students meet with their fellow book club members to discuss the chapters and complete activities which further their understanding of the story and its characters. This week, students worked in their groups to create an appropriately paced 5ish-day reading plan for their books. If students are absent or do not complete their assigned chapters in class, they’ll need to complete these chapters and jots as part of their nightly reading homework. Students must remember to return their book club book and their “stop and jot” sheet back to school the following day so they can participate in their group’s discussion.

Writing- Students are now drafting their “baby literary essays”! This week, they learned that they have to choose textual evidence carefully and ask themselves, “Is this evidence an example that supports my thesis?”.

Phonics- Students are continuing to practice the “Three Great Spelling Rules”: the doubling rule (doubling the final consonant of one-syllable words before adding a vowel suffix), the e-drop rule (dropping the silent “e” when adding a vowel suffix), and the change rule (changing “y” to “i” before adding a vowel suffix, unless the suffix starts with 'i').

Reminders: 

• Tic-Tac-Toe HW boards 3.4 are due next Thursday, 5/22.

• Grounds for Sculpture Field Trip Permission Slips (Tuesday, June 10, for Blue Team/Spallone OR Wednesday, June 11, for Red Team/Young) - Orange permission slips sent home 5/15. Please return the signed permission slip with $20 in a labeled envelope or plastic baggie attached ASAP.

• All WW-P schools will be CLOSED Friday, May 23, 2025 and Monday, May 26, 2025, in observance of Memorial Day. Schools will reopen Tuesday, May 27, 2025. District board offices will be closed Monday, May 26, 2025.

• Yearbooks ON SALE NOW! (PTA) Order your “Out of this World” 2024–25 Yearbook here. Last day to purchase is Friday, May 23.

• Volunteer Sign Up for Field Day (PTA): Friday, May 30 (rain date June 6) is Field Day. Sign up here to volunteer for Field Day.

**Mr. Stevens is watching the weather. He is going to wait until tomorrow afternoon at the earliest to make any decision regarding postponing field day.

1. Info sheet from Mr. Stevens.

2. Quick reminders (this blue half-sheet flyer will be sent home with all third grade students tomorrow.)

3. Third grade is wearing the color white! Your student may wear their third grade class t-shirt or another white shirt that they are comfortable in. 

Sra. Spallone, Sra. Sanchez, and I can't wait for this fun-filled day with our classes! Let's keep our fingers crossed for the weather. 

Sincerely,

Ms. Young

Reading- Students facilitated conversations about their book club novels, generating and supporting ideas about story elements and characters in their stories as it relates to social issues.

Writing- Students finished planning, drafting, revising, and editing their baby literary essays! As I’ve conferenced individually with students, we’ve recognized and celebrated their tremendous growth in writing. We will begin our final writing unit, Adapting Fairy Tales, next week! 

Phonics- This week, we reviewed the “Three Great Spelling Rules” to use when adding suffixes to the end of base words. These rules are: the doubling rule (doubling the final consonant of one-syllable words before adding a vowel suffix), the e-drop rule (dropping the silent “e” when adding a vowel suffix), and the change rule (changing “y” to “i” before adding a vowel suffix, unless the suffix starts with 'i').

Reminders: 

• Field Day is ON for tomorrow! Please see the blue slip sent home with students in their Take Home Folders today for last minute reminders as well as the email sent home yesterday, May 28th.

• Yearbooks ON SALE NOW! (PTA) Order your “Out of this World” 2024–25 Yearbook here. Last day to purchase is tomorrow, Friday, May 23rd!

• Trenton Thunder Tickets- Tickets (section behind home plate) for the Trenton Thunder game on Thursday, June 19, at 7:30 p.m. are on sale here through tomorrow, Friday 5/30! There are fireworks after the game, and there is no school the next day! The opportunity to purchase singing tickets has closed.

• Tic-Tac-Toe HW boards 3.5 are due next Friday, 6/6. There will be one more this school year!

• Grounds for Sculpture Field Trip - Tuesday, June 10th, for Blue Team/Spallone OR Wednesday, June 11th, for Red Team/Young.

• Third Grade Picnic - Friday, May 13th

• All WW-P schools will be CLOSED on Friday, June 20th. Schools will reopen Monday, June 23rd.

Have a restful and safe weekend. Just 3 more Mondays remain in the school year!

Kindly,

Ms. Georgia Young

Reminders: 

• Tic-Tac-Toe HW boards 3.6 are due next Friday, 6/13. This is the last one of the school year!

• This coming Monday, June 9th, Mr. Bailey and Mrs. Goris, the fourth grade DLI Spanish partner teachers from Village, will be visiting our classes at 11:30 to introduce themselves and get our students ready for the upcoming school year! We can't wait.

• Grounds for Sculpture Field Trip - Tuesday, June 10th, for Blue Team/Spallone OR Wednesday, June 11th, for Red Team/Young.

• Third Grade Picnic - Friday, May 13th from 1:00-3:00 PM.

• Our DLI Class End of Year Party - Wednesday, June 18th 1:45-3:00.

  • Sign Up Genius to donate snack supplies. We are graciously accepting donations for our ice cream snack this day. Thank you very much!

• All WW-P schools will be CLOSED on Friday, June 20th. Schools will reopen Monday, June 23rd.

We are extremely appreciative of any donations for our end-of-year class celebration on Wednesday, June 18th. Our classes will enjoy an ice cream treat and spend extra time outside to celebrate the beginning of summer. Please review the available slots below and click on the button to sign up no later than Friday, June 13th. Items may be brought in with your student or dropped off in the front office any time between 6/9-6/17.

Thank you!

Ms. Young, Sra. Spallone, and Sra. Sanchez

• Tuesday 6/10 (Blue Team) or Wednesday 6/11 (Red Team) - Field Trip to Grounds for Sculpture! Sneakers and comfortable clothing to walk around in. This is only a half day field trip (9:30-12:30) so students will not bring any items with them, including no water bottles or snacks. Please make sure your student eats a bigger breakfast before arriving to school if needed.

• Thursday 6/12 - Flag Day. Students should wear red, white, and/or blue as they participate in Flag Day activities in school.

• Friday 6/13 - Third Grade Picnic! Students are encouraged to wear their white third grade class t-shirt this day! We will be outside so please dress according to the weather.

This week, your students had a blast adventuring at Grounds for Sculpture, singing at the outdoor Flag Day performance, and partying at the 3rd Grade Picnic! I will email an album link with photos from today's picnic later on.

I hope you have a fun, safe, and relaxing weekend. Home stretch 'til summer!

Kindly,

Ms. Young

Reminders: 

• Dexter’s Den - School Store Part 2 - Tuesday June 17th and Wednesday June 18th

  • School store is back on Tuesday 6/17 and Wednesday 6/18 during students’ lunches. Yellow flyers with items and prices were sent home with students today. Students are responsible for the cash they bring in to school on to shop from the school store during their lunch period. I recommend that they bring this money in a baggie or envelope labeled with their name and keep it tucked away in their Take-Home Folder. Us teachers will not be collecting this money- this is a student-run school store experience :) Thank you!

• Our DLI Class End of Year Party - Wednesday, June 18th 1:45-3:00.

  • Thank you so much for signing up to donate items for our ice cream party! Items may be brought in with your student or dropped off in the front office any time Monday or Tuesday morning.

• All WW-P schools will be CLOSED on Friday, June 20th. Schools will reopen Monday, June 23rd.

• Lunch Bunch Reward - Students who completed and returned at least 5 out of the 6 tic-tac-toe homework boards this trimester are invited to spend their lunch in my classroom on Tuesday, 6/24! If your student is invited, they will receive a food permission slip for our donut treat. Please sign and return this by Thursday, 6/19.

• Early Dismissal and Last Day of School - Thursday, June 26th.

  • Please pack a “snunch” this day as the cafeteria will NOT be serving food.

This week, your third graders are having a ton of fun with daily hands-on activities which incorporate science, technology, engineering, art, and/or math concepts as part of our school-wide S.T.E.A.M. Week! 

Here’s what we’re finishing the year learning in English…

Reading- Students are working in their research clubs to create slideshow presentations that demonstrate the knowledge they gained about their research topics- from sharks and penguins to social justice! They used digital and print texts to conduct research in small groups.

Writing- Students are finalizing their fairy tale adaptations! During this unit, students independently read classic fairy tales and generated story ideas which incorporate similar and different characters and events to make their original adaptations. All published writing pieces from the year will be sent home with students next week.

Phonics- Students are continuing to practice adding suffixes to base words. They learned the rule for when to apply the -s and -es suffixes.

**For academic and/or SEL support this summer, please bookmark the Summer Learning Launchpad which was put together by a team of talented Dutch Neck teachers. This site includes a variety of activities to complete this summer to support your student in retaining their skills.

Have a great evening!

Ms. Young

Reminders: 

• STAMP Score Reports were sent home in sealed envelopes TODAY, 6/17, in your students’ Take Home Folders.

• If you signed up to bring items in for our class ice cream party, please bring them in with your student tomorrow morning! Thank you again for your generosity. 😊 

• Tomorrow is the last day for the “Dexter’s Den” School Store during lunches!

• All WW-P schools will be CLOSED on Friday, June 20th. Schools will reopen Monday, June 23rd.

• Lunch Bunch Reward - Students who completed and returned at least 5 out of the 6 tic-tac-toe homework boards this trimester are invited to spend their lunch in my classroom on Tuesday, 6/24! If your student is invited, they will receive a food permission slip for our donut treat. Please sign and return this by Thursday, 6/19.

• Early Dismissal and Last Day of School - Thursday, June 26th.

  • Please pack a “snunch” as the cafeteria will NOT be serving food.